London: David Szalay has won the 2025 Booker Prize for his novel Flesh, making him the first writer of Hungarian heritage to receive the award. The ceremony took place on 10 November 2025 at Old Billingsgate in London.
The Booker Prize, founded in 1969, is among the most prominent literary recognitions for English-language fiction published in the United Kingdom or Ireland. This year’s shortlist included six writers, among them Kiran Desai and Andrew Miller. The judging panel, chaired by Irish novelist Roddy Doyle, selected Szalay’s work after over five hours of discussion. The panel cited the book’s “singularity,” and “hypnotic tension” as decisive elements in their choice. The award includes a prize of £50,000, a trophy, and international visibility for the winning author. The Booker Prize Foundation, which oversees the process as a registered charity in the UK, sets the rules that guide eligibility, publication requirements, and the appointment of judges. Each shortlisted book is reviewed independently before a final decision is taken.
Szalay’s win is a historic moment for the prize. Born in Canada in 1974, he holds British-Hungarian nationality and has built a body of work that includes six novels and several short stories. He was previously shortlisted in 2016 for All That Man Is. His writing often examines themes of identity, masculinity, and displacement.
About the Novel: Flesh
Flesh follows István, a Hungarian émigré whose story unfolds across decades. The novel opens with him as a teenager in Hungary and traces a life shaped by emotional distance and shifting circumstances in a foreign country. Szalay uses spare, restrained prose, avoiding a physical description of the protagonist and limiting his direct voice—choices the judges said deepened the novel’s impact. Roddy Doyle described the book as “an astonishingly moving portrait of a man’s life,” highlighting the narrative’s minimalism and its attention to bodily fragility and isolation. Szalay has said the title felt “risky,” reflecting the novel’s focus on vulnerability.
Published by Jonathan Cape, an imprint of Penguin Random House UK, the novel met all eligibility requirements for the Booker Prize. It was released within the stipulated timeframe and distributed in digital and print formats across the UK and Ireland. The publisher confirmed compliance with ISBN and copyright standards applicable under UK publishing law.
Legal and Cultural Framework of the Prize
The Booker Prize operates under UK jurisdiction through the Booker Prize Foundation. The Foundation (Charity No. 1090049) is monitored by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Crankstart, a US-based philanthropic organisation, provides funding under a long-term agreement. Prize funds, including the £50,000 awarded to Szalay, are subject to UK tax and reporting regulations. This year’s result adds to ongoing discussions about representation within major literary awards. Szalay’s background as a Hungarian-British writer highlights how the prize accommodates authors of varied nationalities, as long as their work appears in English and is published within the UK or Ireland. The rules allow dual nationals and writers from international backgrounds to compete on equal footing.
Kiran Desai, who won the Booker in 2006 for The Inheritance of Loss, returned to the shortlist with The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny. A second win would have placed her among a small group of authors who have won the award twice in its 56-year history. The 2025 ceremony drew writers, publishers, and media organisations. Szalay was presented the award by Samantha Harvey, the 2024 Booker Prize winner. The event was broadcast internationally through the Foundation’s authorised media channels.
David Szalay’s win for Flesh marks a notable point in the history of the Booker Prize. The novel’s form, its restrained style, and its long-range narrative persuaded the judges to select it as the year’s standout work. The award continues to highlight literary achievements within a framework governed by established legal, charitable, and publication standards.
